Legislature hears debate on charter school development

UPDATED 6:43 PM CST Feb 25, 2013

LINCOLN, Neb. -

A public hearing was held Monday before state lawmakers on a proposal to create charter schools in Omaha.

Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh's LB 593 would allow five charter schools to be set up in some of Omaha Public School districts’ poorest performing areas. The schools could be started by businesses, teachers or parents groups. The schools would be regulated by the state’s Board of Education and funded by private donations and state funds that would come with each student that attends.

“When you live in an urban area and live in an area where you don't have faith in the schools, you shouldn't have to ride a bus for an hour or an hour and a half both ways to get to a school you have some faith in,” Lautenbaugh said.

Supporters, like Gillian Quinn-Pineda, a Texas charter school principal, said charter schools aren't tied down to bureaucratic red tape.

“We have more power to individualize our curriculum for our students. Part of that is we are able to give our students more because we have a longer school day and a longer school year,” Quinn-Pineda said.

Other supporters said it’s a modest attempt to see if charter schools could do a better job.

“I hope we don't tolerate ongoing failure,” Lautenbaugh said.

Others are concerned charter schools will cherry-pick their students.

“Public schools take everyone. What you might see in charter schools is they may not take everyone,” said Jay Sears with the Nebraska State Education Association.

The Nebraska Education Association, OPS and State Department of Education oppose the measure calling it a false promise.

“As we've seen in most studies, charter schools aren't having any more impact on student achievement than regular schools,” Sears said.

Lautenbaugh said he is willing to work with the legislature's education committee to come up with a bill that can be advanced on the floor of the legislature.

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